When He Was On The Cross

INTRODUCTION:

2000 years ago...crowd gathered at Golgotha's hillside. Why? To Witness a crucifixion...a terrible, cruel death. This day...no ordinary day by any means. The mob had gotten their wish. Earlier they had cried, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"

Now poised...they watched the crucifixion take place. Perhaps before they had seen crucifixions, but this one was different...an innocent man was being put to death. His name was Jesus.

Society, would now be rid of this one who had caused quite a controversy...Blinded eyes had been touched...Crooked limbs had been straightened...the dead had been brought back

to life.

The crowd looked on...some with elation...some with a sense of coldness in their spines. Some thought, "He is finally out of our hair! No longer a bother to us!" Others bowed their heads in sadness...their friend had died right before their eyes.

Why did such a scene have to transpire? All because it was in keeping with God's plan. Why would such a plan have an innocent man dying? Because God so loved the world. That's why!

The death of His Son would be the only way that mankind could be released from that which enslaved him...sin!

All the while He was hanging there on the cross, His mind was not really focused as much on Himself as it was on you and me. Yes, when He was on the cross, we were on His mind! What ran through His mind about us? He thought of...

I. HIS LOVE FOR MANKIND.

-It was only "love" that would cause one to give His life to die for others.

-So great a love...no greater love than to willingly give of your life for others, in order that they might live.

-"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down His life for His friends." John 15:13 KJV

-Jesus agonized over this point in His life no doubt. The humanness of His life spoke!

-In the Garden of Gethsemane He prayed -"O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." Matthew 26:39 KJV

-In His humanity, He prayed for the removal of this event, but in His divinity He said, "Whatever you will to be done, Father, I will gladly do it!" (my paraphrase)

-He did it because He loved you and me!

-He demonstrated the magnitude of the love God had for a helpless, hopeless humanity.

-"but God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 KJV

-He died for us that we might have life - eternally.

Not only did He think about His love for us but...

II.HE THOUGHT OF WHAT OUR FUTURE HELD FOR US.

-His death was a necessary event.

-His death gave us a way in which we could live in the future.

-Sin darkens the lives of many...blinding the eyes of humanity.

-Sin causes us to lose our sense of direction in life.

-It was only through His agonizing death that our eyes could be opened.

-If Jesus had not died for the sin of the world- oh, how hopeless and helpless we would be!

-His death in the past has opened the way for our future.

-He was thinking about you and me, while He was on the cross!

-He knew what our future held- a destiny of an eternal separation from Him!

-"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have a future (eternal life)." John 3:16

-There's no future in success - no way! There's no future in wealth - no way! There's no future in possessions - no way!

-THERE'S ONLY A FUTURE WITH JESUS! Jesus says, "I am the way...the truth...the life...

-The future of mankind lies solely and totally in Him!

CONCLUSION:

The crowds witnessed the crucifixion, seeing the frail , lifeless body of Jesus taken down from the Roman cross...his body carried to a borrowed tomb by His followers. For some this "trouble maker" had received His due reward. Others only thought of their hopelessness. This man Jesus, gave of His own life in order that others might live. He died because "love" would compel a man to "freely" give of His own life for the lives of others. He died because He loved you! He died because He knew man needed to have a hope in the future...a future made possible when one finds a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Is your "future" secure in Him? Do you have "eternal life" as your future hope?

REMEMBER THIS, WHEN HE WAS ON THE CROSS, YOU WERE ON HIS MIND!

This message is the copyrighted material of Curtis G. Brock. Use of this message can be used as long as credit is given to the owner of said material. All rights reserved.